People who drive after drinking too much are responsible for their own actions and how their decisions affect others. Drunk drivers knowingly break state statutes for their own convenience, putting others at risk in the process. Unfortunately, those who decide to drive after drinking are a leading source of crash fatalities and severe injuries to others. Drunk drivers cause some of the worst wrecks that often leave people with a lifetime of medical expenses or lost wages.
The people who choose to drive drunk may not always have sufficient personal resources or insurance coverage to reimburse others for the harm they cause. This is especially true when a drunk driver causes a deadly collision. Poor insurance coverage might mean that surviving family members can’t even recover the full year’s salary when making an insurance claim. However, in scenarios where someone caused a crash after drinking at a business, initiating a dram shop lawsuit might be an option.
The law makes businesses liable if they break the rules
There are safety rules about alcohol service that all businesses have to follow. Bars and restaurants should train their workers so that they know how to properly card before alcohol service and when they may need to deny a patron another drink. Under the dram shop law in Missouri, businesses could end up liable and subject to a lawsuit or insurance claim if their workers serve someone who is a minor or who is already visibly intoxicated.
Should someone served in violation of Missouri state laws go on to cause a crash that kills someone else, the surviving family members of the person who died can potentially bring a claim against the business.
Why dream shop claims are a beneficial option
Most businesses have higher levels of insurance and also more assets than the average individual. Therefore, the total amount of compensation available will be higher if someone brings a claim against a business as opposed to an individual.
Additionally, the financial consequences generated by such a lawsuit could force a business to change its practices so that it doesn’t continue breaking Missouri liquor laws. Demanding justice from the appropriate parties after a drunk driving crash with the help of an experienced legal professional can help to compensate families harmed by the poor decisions of others.
